


Past Pains

by Gemstarzah



Series: Teitho Challenges [6]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Grief, Memories, past history, why Glorfindel wears golden armour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 04:51:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3965041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemstarzah/pseuds/Gemstarzah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A question asked in the past, comes back to bother the Lord of the House of the Golden Flower<br/>Written for the Teitho April 2015 contest: Raiment</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past Pains

**Author's Note:**

> A plot bunny in this sparked a new story which is being planned lol

_“So why is yours different to everyone else’s, even ada’s?”_

_A question Glorfindel had not expected to hear from one of Elrond’s children, as he walked toward his rooms to remove his golden armour. While he was pleased to be home and able to relax once more, he should have known that the twins would spot him sooner or later._

How can I possibly explain to them about it? _The twins were elflings, and Glorfindel knew his history was one that caused even himself nightmares from time to time. What terrors his story would cause the elflings; he had no way of imagining. He knew Elrond would certainly not thank him, should his children be kept awake because of him!_

I’m not sure how I could tell them, with them being this age.

_“Perhaps when you two are older, I will tell you.”_

_With any luck by the time they were of an age they could hear about it, they would have forgotten he’d said it!_

* * *

The years passed by in peace, and the twins grew up. Another elfling was born, Elrond and Celebrían’s only daughter, Arwen. She also grew up. At one point, tragedy struck the family, when Celebrían was waylaid by orcs on a trip returning from visiting her parents in Lothlórien. She refused to let herself fade and end up in Mandos’ Halls, and instead, Glorfindel and several others escorted her to the Grey Havens so she could sail instead.

“You never answered a question we asked you, Glorfindel.”

The words made him blink. He’d been lost in thought, sitting at a camp fire in one of the Dúnedain settlements. They’d come here to talk to Arathorn, though the twins had wanted to meet Arathorn’s son mostly. Trips like this one were ones Glorfindel wondered why he was even there. The Dúnedain did not speak to him often, though he often saw them talking to the twins.

He guessed it was because the twins were more known to the Dúnedain than he was. After all, it was they, and not he, who often went riding in the mountains as well as in the north, to hunt orcs. More than once, the twins came back telling that they had spent some time with the Dúnedain.

_Not your fault that you are not so well known as the twins. You have Imladris to protect, and warriors to keep in line. They do not have as many responsibilities as you._

“What question, Elladan?”

 _What question did I not answer?_ He could only think of one, and he knew, this time he would not be able to evade answering it. At least, he wouldn’t be able to evade it the same way as he had last time.

“The one you told us we were too young to understand,” Elrohir replied. “About your armour.”

 _How can you remember something you asked me when you were only ten years old?_ He knew that was almost three millennia ago!

“You always seem so busy, so we’ve not had a chance to ask you,” Elladan added.

Glorfindel smiled slightly.

“Well, unlike you, penneth, I have many duties around Imladris to see to. I don’t have the time to go wandering off hunting for orcs whenever I please.”

He hoped they would realise that someone had to deal with the duties they couldn’t always be relied on for. No doubt, it would at least remind them that there were other ways they could at least help at home.

 _Always seems to be me who is the one targeted when the twins choose make a pest of themselves._ He found this very irritating indeed. At times, the distraction they brought could be considered useful, but he did not believe that this was one of those days at all. Now, he realised that several of the Dúnedain were looking over at them, and, internally, Glorfindel groaned.

“My armour has been golden for many years, Elladan, Elrohir. It started all the way back in Gondolin. Must I bring up old history again?”

They knew how much it pained him to talk of those days. He could only hope that they would realise that he did not want to talk of the past once more. There was every chance they wouldn’t realise it though.

At the expectant nods, Glorfindel could have groaned. He should have known that they would want an answer now that they had asked the question and an answer more than he’d given.

“Gold has always been my armour’s colour, mellyn-nin. Ever since Gondolin was founded, at least. Before then, I was just another warrior amongst Turgon’s host. I blended in like anyone else does in Imladris.”

“What happened?”

It mattered not which of the twins had asked the question.

“When Turgon brought us all to Gondolin, he gathered eleven of us together. Each of us would have a part of the city to watch over. We were to decide on our own what the armour and other things would look like to set our warriors apart from the rest. My mate and I sorted mine out.”

He closed his eyes, feeling a pang of guilt in his stomach.

“My old house, the Golden Flower of Gondolin is a memory, and a reminder of her, Elladan, Elrohir. She was killed by one of the dragons that besieged the city. I wear it now to honour her. We were devastated to find each other in Mandos’ Halls. I do not know if she is in Valinor waiting for me or not.”

The old elf closed his eyes. He could only hope that the Valar had restored his mate back to her former glory.

Both twins seemed almost shocked that this was the reason behind the golden armour. He noted Elrohir almost looked as though he wished he hadn’t asked what the reason behind it was.

_It is my past, and I hope that someday I might be reunited with her._

“Well, now I’m sorry I asked,” Elladan said at last.

Glorfindel looked at the twins.

“How could you have known that there was someone I lost? I lost her well before your adar was even born, mellyn-nin. It changes nothing that my history is known, only that I feel great pain in recounting it, for it was a terrible time.”

The past had happened for a reason only the Valar knew, and now, all there was to do was cope with the events that unfolded in time. Glorfindel knew that one day he would return to Valinor, to reunite not only with his mate, but with his son and daughter. The twins did not need to know of those two. Glorfindel wouldn’t speak of those past events again.

“I lost them so very long ago, and though it may pain me to talk of those days, at least I am able to from time to time. Now though, I guess you can understand why I wear what I do.”

Elladan nodded.

“Indeed, we can.”


End file.
